Die Åre-Morde

Åremorden (The Åre Murders) is a TV series based on Viveca Sten's books. The series' leading character is a police officer Hanna Ahlander (Carla Sehn), who has been suspended from her job in Stockholm and dumped by her partner when she moves to her sister's vacation home in Åre. The first, second, and third episodes are based on the "Offermakaren -Hidden in Snow" book. The fourth and fifth episodes are based on the "Dalskuggan - Hidden in Shadows" book. I really liked the fourth and fifth episodes because they were filmed according to the book. I believe that there should be a second season which consists of the other three books. I give seven over ten for the first season because of the episodes four and five.

There are times when you come across a show that feels like a hidden gem-a real gold mine. Unfortunately, The Åre Murders isn't one of them.

While the series boasts a fine cast, strong direction, and breathtaking cinematography that enhances the overall experience, it somehow lacks the warmth of your typical Netflix and chill session. And I don't blame the visuals-the real issue lies with the story itself, which never feels truly resolute.

Viveca Sten is undoubtedly a fantastic crime thriller writer, with nearly 20 books to her credit and an international bestseller reputation. However, The Åre Murders leaves gaps that can't easily be ignored. At times, it feels like just another stretched-out episode of CSI-a simple story where characters are grieving, and that's about it. Nothing more, nothing less.

I am going to with a decent 6/10 for this one, you can skip this if you want to.

Cinematography and scenery is beautiful and lifts the crime series. We want to see more of this, maybe some episodes from the Norwegian border ? I live in Trondheim, Norway, and Åre is close to this city. Åre is the major alpine sports ski resort in Sweden and also popular place to visit by Norwegians. Åre is close to Norwegian border.

Now, about the series.

It is a more like a Crime Drama. The swedes are good at making "Dark Crime" TV series. The "Beck" crime series should serve as a benchmark for quality in the genre of crime series from Sweden. Despite financial backing from Netflix to create the series, it comes a bit short. Maybe I would expect it to be more scary and exciting. Instead, it feels a bit boring and drama oriented. Don't expect that much excitement in the series. There are some car chasing, but the overall script for possible future episodes of the series should focus more on less drama and more action.

This was a very watchable series. It's a much darker scenario than many others of Viveca Sten's novels or screenplays but still frothy enough not to be depressing.

Yes, there are cliches such as the maverick, suspended, female detective, a male cop whose home life is breaking down and a closeted gay guy but these are woven into the fabric of the story to make a coherent and easy-to-watch narrative.

The plots were fantastical at times with characters doing unexpected or downright dangerous things. A little too much intuition was used in the solving of the cases too. However, in the main, this was worth watching. I saw the lot over a couple of days and it filled in some time very enjoyably. I'd recommend it but don't expect "The Bridge" or "Forbrydelsen".

2 Stars for the beautiful snow Setting.

The rest: The first episodes really caught my attention. The beautiful snowy setting, the northern atmosphere, and the striking landscapes-nothing groundbreaking, but compelling enough to draw me in. The show introduced an intriguing mystery: a young girl's murder, a party, a grieving girl, and a case that seemed worth following.

But then came episode 3, and that's where things started to unravel. Suddenly, we were bombarded with multiple characters whose significance was unclear. A blonde, high-profile politician struggling with her husband's issues-yet this subplot never really went anywhere. Then, out of nowhere, the mystery rushed to a conclusion. The female detective nearly dies in the snow, suffering some kind of freezing injury-or so it seemed.

What frustrated me most was the sudden reveal of the girl's backstory. Her choices, particularly getting into a car with someone obviously suspicious, felt completely unrealistic. By that point, I found myself rolling my eyes. The mystery, which had been built up so well, was wrapped up hastily and unsatisfyingly.

Then came Episode 4, and to my complete surprise, a completely different case began. The female detective, despite her apparent near-death experience, was suddenly fine-no frostbite, no consequences. This second case, from what I've seen so far, is much simpler: a domestic violence situation that seems to have an obvious perpetrator. There's no real intrigue, no depth, and frankly, it feels pointless.

What started as a promising thriller ended as a bland, foreseeable drama with weak storytelling choices. Instead of a gripping mystery, the show left me disappointed and unsatisfied.